Many efforts have been made in the past to record television signals along longitudinal channels of a tape record medium. Such an approach holds the promise of a more compact transport which can be conveniently housed as an integral part of a broadcast television receiver for the home. With an endless loop cartridge, for example, such a system would be extremely desirable. A problem has been to achieve a flutter free high speed transducer system which is of the requisite simplicity and economy and which is compatible with a compact and reliable cartridge-loaded system.
In the field of data recording also, a simplification in the transport system without sacrifice of drive stability would be important. Elimination of drive rollers increases useful tape life as well as the reliability and life of the tape transport mechanism.